Hunting The Muse

Measure 28 Counterpoints

A reader responds to my previous entry on Measure 28, with the following theory on why others voted No:

You didn't mention one rationale for NOT voting for it that I think was a biggie: sending a message to Salem that we're sick of their panic last-minute tactics and don't believe it's truly a crisis and don't believe in band-aid fixes. That, I think, is a bigger motivator for the negative vote than saving 100 bucks was.

That's enough to get my brain really curious about things I might have missed about the whole drama.

First, is it possible (or true) that most of the problems (school layoffs, prison releases, etc) were invented by the Democrats to motivate people to vote for 28, and that it really could just be solved easily through bureaucratic streamlining?

Second, if that's true, is that a reason to vote against it when the reality is that we're dealing with the school/prison approach anyway? Is taking a principled stand really principled when it's people other than yourself that are making the sacrifices for your principles? Posted by Curt at February 7, 2003 02:42 AM